peabce



jflfoal whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, JOHN W. PEARCE, of Suisun,

tent pitite.

JOI-INl WJPEAROEyOFSUISUN, CALIFORNIA.

Letters Patent No. 105,838, dated July 26, 41870.

---w- IMPROVEMENT IN SPADES AND SHOVELS Tne Scheule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

county of Solano, State of California, have invented `au Improvement in Spades and Shovels; and I do` hereby declare the following description and accom panyiug drawing are sutiicent to enable any person skilled in VAthe art or science to which it4 most nearly appertains, to make and use my said invention or imrate piece and rivet it fast, the handle being inserted'- between the two. 0rdinarily the angle or corner 'ateach side, where the straps join the plate G andthe blade A, is made in the form of aright angle, and the straps are apt to break off at that point. To remedy' this defect these corners have laterally b eeu rounded or curved iu their out-line, thus leaving the straps wider and stronger at that point, as represented in the drawing.. It has also been customary heretofore to securetlie handle to the shovel simply by rivets extending through the straps and the handle.

Now,.in 'order to secure the handle more firmly in place, and to give greater strength to theshoyel at the point where the handle and straps join the blade, IV

construct thestraps with rounded corners at the point of junction. with the plate, vas above described, and then instead of rivetsI I use ferrules or bands to fasten the handle to the straps and the sho-vel.l At the upper end of the straps, Where the handle is round and the straps narrow, an ordinary metallic band, F, may be used, but at the lower end, owing to the widened form of the straps and the dattened shape of the handle, it is obvious that such a band cannot be applied.

To secure this part I therefore construct a baud or ferrule, by taking good strong wire and winding it closely around the handle and straps, as represented at E, the wire as it .is wound adapting itself to the irregular outline ol' surface of the parts. After having thus wound it toa suicient height, I then solder the wire together, the solder at thesame time flowing in Abet\ 'een the coils of the wire, and soldering the wire fast to the straps. In this way Lmake an irregularlyshaped ferrulc, corresponding tothe form of the parts to which it is applied, and which is at the same time secured permanently in place.

-A shovel thus made is much stronger, and will therebre last longer than those made in the ordinary manner, especially as I thus avoid weakening the handle near its lower end by making a hole to receive a rivet.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claiml is- The herein-described improvement in the construe-- tion of shovels; that is to say, the ferrule F, formed by' winding wire thereon, and then soldering the wire together and to the straps, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand JOHN W. PEARGE; [L S.]

land seal.

lVituesses:

WM. GERLAGH, JNO. L. BOONE, 

